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Policy Areas

The Department of Human Services (DHS) just announced that, due to reaching capacity in the February 9 meeting, they are adding a second session at 1:30 pm on the same day. If you are already registered for the morning session, do not register for the afternoon session so that they can keep enough space for all who are interested. Both sessions will be recorded and posted publicly to YouTube, and content will be roughly similar within the two sessions. DHS will share Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions from both, and a follow-up Q&A document will be shared next week.

Visit here to register for the afternoon session.

(If the registration link above does not work, please try copying this link directly into your browser: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/9f3d9e64-6d38-45a7-84eb-b0ae2b1aafd9@418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde)

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) announces the opening of registration for the 2024 Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) Conference, themed “An Evolving Justice System: Adapting and Navigating New Directions.” The conference is scheduled for April 9 – 10, 2024, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College. The event will convene criminal justice, behavioral health, and treatment partners for a dynamic one and a half-day gathering. Featuring a lineup of national and local experts, discussions will center on emerging issues impacting criminal justice and behavioral health systems, offering innovative strategies and collaborative solutions.

Registration and conference details are available on the 2024 CJAB Conference page on PCCD’s website. Additionally, notable sessions include a plenary by Jason Snyder, RCPA SUD Policy Director, on April 9, and a workshop on SUD confidentiality facilitated by RCPA, which will include representatives from the SUD treatment and criminal justice systems on April 10. Attendees should be aware that the discounted room rate deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Message from Kevin Dressler, Bureau Director, DHS, Office of Developmental Programs:

Infection Control and Vaccination Status Survey
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has put together a short survey (23 questions) to gain an idea of the vaccination status of the people living in ICFs for COVID, Flu, and RSV, as well as to identify difficulties you may have or are currently experiencing with obtaining the vaccines. There is also a section within the survey discussing infection control and prevention. Please take the time to fill out the survey, as ODP will use the information to continue to look for ways to improve access and availability of vaccines and other health-related resources.

Several responded that the survey was not accessible. Participant restrictions have been removed this morning, so you should now be able to complete the survey here.

ICF Task Force Meeting
The next ICF Task Force meeting will be conducted in-person on April 18, from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. We are planning to hold the meeting at the PaTTAN (Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network) building in Harrisburg. We plan to share ICF citation data from January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2023, as well as two trainings. The trainings will be “Plan of Correction Writing and Follow-up,” and training on “Active Treatment.” We will also have the DOH Long Term Care – RISE group provide a presentation on the services and supports they have to offer to ICFs. Lastly, we will have our typical updates from our finance staff, DOH, and ODP Medical Director. Please plan on attending. Updates will be provided as we get closer to the date of the meeting.

ICF Taskforce Meeting: Location
The ICF Taskforce Meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2024, will be held at the following address:

PaTTAN – Central
6340 Flank Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112

Directions and nearby hotel accommodations can be found here.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division will offer compliance seminars for contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers, and other stakeholders on the requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contracts. Part of the division’s effort to increase awareness and improve compliance, each day-long seminar will include sessions on the Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act, and other related topics. Participants can choose among the sessions offered throughout the day.

The seminars are scheduled on Feb. 27, May 15, and Aug. 29.

Register today. While seminar attendance is free, registration is required. Additional details, including links to the sessions for each date, will be provided to participants after registration.

For additional information on prevailing wage compliance, the division also has an updated video library on the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the Service Contract Act, and various executive orders.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is hosting a post-award forum regarding the federal Section 1115 Demonstration, which includes Medicaid coverage for out-of-state former foster care youth and substance use disorder (SUD) services. It will take place at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm on Friday, March 8, 2024, via WebEx. The forum aims to gather public feedback on the progress of these initiatives, both of which were approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Former Foster Care Youth (FFCY) component allows Medicaid coverage for individuals under 26 who were in foster care in another state upon turning 18. The SUD component provides funding for essential SUD services, including residential care.

Register for the forum here. Written comments are also acceptable until the same date. For inquiries, contact Shivani Patel. Further details and the announcement can be found here. Please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp for any further questions.